Paleopathological Approach to the Study of a Christian Relic: The Case of the Blessed Maria Lorenza Longo

The Blessed Maria Lorenza Longo, founder of the hospital of Santa Maria del Popolo degli Incurabili and the Order of the Capuchin Poor Clares in Naples, Italy, died on 21 October 1539 and was recently beatified on 9 October 2021. The relic, a fully skeletonized cranium, underwent visual and radiological inspection. The biological profile supports the at¬tribution of female sex of the relic, whereas the age at death is estimated to be younger than that reported by historians. A paleopathological survey was conducted to evaluate the historical reports of poisoning or rheumatoid arthritis affecting Maria Longo. Given the limited skeletal data, it was not possible to confirm the presence of these claims. No obvious in¬dicators of dietary deficiencies were observed, and the tertiary syphilis hypothesized by textual sources was excluded. Postmortem alterations of the relic were clearly visible on the superior aspect of the cranium and testified to the worship of the relic

Sex-dependent changes of hippocampal synaptic plasticity and cognitive performance in C57BL/6J mice exposed to neonatal repeated maternal separation

The repeated maternal separation (RMS) is a useful experimental model in rodents to study the long-term influence of early-life stress on brain neurophysiology. We here investigated the influence of RMS exposure on hippocampal inhibitory and excitatory synaptic transmission, long-term synaptic plasticity and the related potential alterations in learning and memory performance in adult male and female C57Bl/6J mice. Mice were separated daily from their dam for 360 min, from postnatal day 2 (PND2) to PND17, and experiments were performed at PND60. Patch-clamp recordings in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons revealed a significant enhancement of GABAergic miniature IPSC (mIPSC) frequency and a decrease in the amplitude of glutamatergic mEPSCs in male mice exposed to RMS. Only a slight but significant reduction in the amplitude of GABAergic mIPSCs was observed in females exposed to RMS compared to the relative controls. A marked increase in long-term depression (LTD) at CA3-CA1 glutamatergic synapses and in the response to the CB1r agonist win55,212 were detected in RMS male but not female mice. An impaired spatial memory and a reduced preference for novelty were observed in males exposed to RMS but not in females. A single injection of -ethynyl estradiol at PND2 prevented the changes observed in RMS male mice, suggesting that estrogens may play a protective role early in life against the exposure to stressful conditions. Our findings strengthen the idea of a sex-dependent influence of RMS on long-lasting modifications in synaptic transmission, effects that may be relevant to cognitive performance

PALEORADIOLOŠKA STUDIJA O DVOJE DOJENČADI IZ 17./18. STOLJEĆA

During an excavation campaign in the Church of the Conversion of Saint Paul in Roccapelago (North Italy), a hidden crypt was discovered, which yielded the remains of more than 400 individuals. The crypt was used as a cemetery by the inhabitants of the village of Roccapelago between the 16th and 18th centuries. Along the north side of the crypt, an area apparently separated from the rest of the burials was found, bordered by stones, where several burials of newborns and infants were concentrated. From here, five fabric rolls containing bones were recovered, and it was decided not to carry out destructive analyses, allocating the two best examples to a thorough radiological investigation to try to define the type of burial and the complete biological profile of the infant. The two rolls, subjects of this study, can be dated archaeologically between the 17th and 18th centuries. CT analysis shows a varied group of bones with a fairly good state of conservation. The paleoradiological study carried out had the primary objective of avoiding the destruction of the two rolls, ensuring their conservation; but at the same time, providing essential data to understand their nature, defining the biological profile and the type of deposition.Tijekom iskapanja u crkvi Obraćenja sv. Pavla u selu Roccapelago (sjeverna Italija) pronađena je skrivena kripta s ostatcima više od četiristo osoba. Stanovnicima sela Roccapelago kripta je između 16. i 18. stoljeća služila kao groblje. Uza sjevernu stranu kripte pronađen je prostor omeđen kamenjem, očito odvojen od ostalih ukopa, u kojem je bilo koncentrirano nekoliko ukopa novorođenčadi i dojenčadi. Ovdje je pronađeno pet smotuljaka tkanine, koji su sadržavali kosti. Donesena je odluka da se ne provode destruktivne analize, a dva najbolja primjerka podvrgnuta su temeljitom radiološkom istraživanju kako bi se pokušala definirati vrsta ukopa te potpun biološki profil djeteta. Dva smotuljka, koji su predmet ove studije, mogu se arheološki smjestiti između 17. i 18. stoljeća. CT analiza pokazuje raznoliku skupinu kostiju s prilično dobrim stanjem očuvanosti. Provedeno paleoradiološko istraživanje imalo je primarni cilj izbjeći uništenje dvaju smotuljaka, osiguravajući njihovu konzervaciju, ali u isto vrijeme pružiti važne podatke za razumijevanje njihove prirode, definirajući biološki profil i vrstu svjedočanstva

Risultati preliminari delle indagini scientifiche sul corpo del Beato Antonio da Fano (m. 1435)

The Blessed Antonio da Fano was a Franciscan friar dead in 1435, after being Confessor to the King Alphonso V of Aragon and Ambassador to the Holy See. His body, re-cently discovered in the church of Santa Maria Nuova in Fano, underwent external inspection, radiologic examina-tion, and subsequent laboratory investigations. The well-preserved, partially skeletonized mummy showed signs of obesity, atherosclerosis, and dental caries, leading us to hypothesize that Antonio had access to a diet rich in sugar and fats. The anthropometric study estimated a height of 168 cm. The study of occupational activities revealed moderate and symmetrical stress of the lower limbs with much less overload of the upper district. Rare osteoarthrit-ic processes affected thoracic and lumbar spine. The cra-nial cavity contained amorphous material, bony remnants of rodents, and textile fragments belonging to the subject’s primary burial. The facial reconstruction was carried out by computed tomography scanning.Il Beato Antonio da Fano era un frate francescano decedu-to nel 1435, dopo essere stato confessore del re d’Aragona Alfonso V e ambasciatore presso la Santa Sede. Il suo cor-po, recentemente rinvenuto nella chiesa di Santa Maria Nuova in Fano, è stato sottoposto ad ispezione esterna, esami radiologici e successive indagini di laboratorio. La mummia, ben conservata e parzialmente scheletrizzata, mostrava evidenza di obesità, aterosclerosi e carie dentale, lasciando ipotizzare una dieta ricca di zuccheri e grassi. L’antropometria indicava un’altezza di 168 cm. Lo studio ergo-nomico mostrava un impegno moderato e simmetrico degli arti inferiori con un carico assai minore del distretto superiore. I rari processi artrosici riguardavano la colonna toracica e lombare. La cavità cranica conteneva materiale amorfo, resti ossei di roditori e frammenti di tessili relativi alla prima sepoltura. La ricostruzione facciale è stata effet-tuata mediante tomografia computerizzata

Structured and shared CT radiological report of gastric cancer: a consensus proposal by the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG) and the Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM)

Objectives Written radiological report remains the most important means of communication between radiologist and referring medical/surgical doctor, even though CT reports are frequently just descriptive, unclear, and unstructured. The Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM) and the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG) promoted a critical shared discussion between 10 skilled radiologists and 10 surgical oncologists, by means of multi-round consensus-building Delphi survey, to develop a structured reporting template for CT of GC patients. Methods Twenty-four items were organized according to the broad categories of a structured report as suggested by the European Society of Radiology (clinical referral, technique, findings, conclusion, and advice) and grouped into three "CT report sections" depending on the diagnostic phase of the radiological assessment for the oncologic patient (staging, restaging, and follow-up). Results In the final round, 23 out of 24 items obtained agreement ( >= 8) and consensus ( 0.05). Conclusions The structured report obtained, shared by surgical and medical oncologists and radiologists, allows an appropriate, clearer, and focused CT report essential to high-quality patient care in GC, avoiding the exclusion of key radiological information useful for multidisciplinary decision-making

Gastric Cancer Maximum Tumour Diameter Reduction Rate at CT Examination as a Radiological Index for Predicting Histopathological Regression after Neoadjuvant Treatment: A Multicentre GIRCG Study

Aim. To investigate the role of maximum tumour diameter (D-max) reduction rate at CT examination in predicting histopathological tumour regression grade (TRG according to the Becker grade), after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), in patients with resectable advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Materials and Methods. Eighty-six patients (53 M, mean age 62.1 years) with resectable AGC (≥T3 or N+), treated with NAC and radical surgery, were enrolled from 5 centres of the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG). Staging and restaging CT and histological results were retrospectively reviewed. CT examinations were contrast enhanced, and the stomach was previously distended. The D-max was measured using 2D software and compared with Becker TRG. Statistical data were obtained using “R” software. Results. The interobserver agreement was good/very good. Becker TRG was predicted by CT with a sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 97.3% and 90.9% for Becker 1 (D-max reduction rate > 65.1%), 76.4% and 80% for Becker 3 (D-max reduction rate < 29.9%), and 70.8% and 83.9% for Becker 2. Correlation between radiological and histological D-max measurements was strongly confirmed by the correlation index (c.i.= 0.829). Conclusions. D-max reduction rate in AGC patients may be helpful as a simple and reproducible radiological index in predicting TRG after NAC

MORFEO enters final design phase

MORFEO (Multi-conjugate adaptive Optics Relay For ELT Observations, formerly MAORY), the MCAO system for the ELT, will provide diffraction-limited optical quality to the large field camera MICADO. MORFEO has officially passed the Preliminary Design Review and it is entering the final design phase. We present the current status of the project, with a focus on the adaptive optics system aspects and expected milestones during the next project phase